Motor generator regulator system



July 7, 1936. A. L. MATTE 2,046,438

MOTOR GENERATOR REGULATOR SYSTEM Filed May 25, 1932 /L l |29/ wl @una l l I l l 10 aux/4 um nap l INVENToR f/ Mitte BY ATTORNEY Patented July 7, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOTOR GENERATOR REGULATOR SYSTEM Application-May 25, 1932, Serial No. 613,500

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved type of regulator system for controlling the characteristics of a dynamo-electric device, such for example, as a motor generator, and more partic- 5 ularly to means for preventing a substantial variation in the operation of such a device upon failure of operation of a portion of the regulator system.

The arrangements of the invention are particularly applicable in connection with multifrequency generators utilized to supply the various carrier frequencies used in voice frequency carrier telegraph systems. It has been the practice in systems of this type to control the output characteristics of the generator by means of a tuned circuit speed regulator which operates in such a manner as to cause changes in current through an auxiliary field winding of the driving motor, thus changing its speed and hence the generator frequency.

The tuned circuit speed regulator device utilized in illustrating the principles of the invention consists of a circuit comprising a plurality of vacuum tubes, the output of one of which supplies current directly to the auxiliary eld winding of the motor. The burning out of a tube or the loss of plate or filament batteries in this device would reduce the current to zero in the auxiliary eld winding and might cause the motor speed to increase by several hundred R. P. M. For example, each tuned circuit regulator might contain four tubes and a ballast lamp and two such devices might be involved in two-way operation over a. given telegraph channel. The failure of any of Athese eight tubes, ballast lamps, or battery supply circuits would disable al1 working telegraph circuits Whose current supply is controlled thereby. This might involve as many as 240 carrier channels. Accordingly, the primary object of the arrangements of the invention consists in providing regulating means for the generator output of such a character that a failure of the regulator will not cause substantial variation in the operation of the generator. Otherobjects and features of the arrangements of the invention will appear more fully from the detailed description thereof hereinafter given. Other types of regulators than those utilizing vacuum tubes might be utilized in the arrangements of the invention.

It will appear that the disadvantages of the regulator systems of the prior art consist in the following conditions: first, the current for the auxiliary field winding of the motor is dependent upon the actual functioning of the regulator;

second, violent changes in the operation of the regulating mechanism, such as might be produced by accidental causes, result in correspondingly violent changes in speed. In the arrange- 5 ments of the invention the above two conditions are taken care of in that the vacuum tube speed regulator circuit is utilized to adjust a rheostat which controls the current in the auxiliary field winding ofthe motor; the setting of this rheo-.lo stat remaining unaltered either upon complete failure of the regulator, such as might ensue from the burning out of a tube, or upon large and sudden changes in the regulator output. In

a modification of the arrangements of the in- 15 vention the above mentioned two conditions may also be taken care of. The general principle of the modified form of the arrangements of the invention is to leave the regulator of the prior art in which current therefrom flows directly 20 through the auxiliary field Winding unchanged, and to add an auxiliary control circuit in which corresponding changes in current take place whenever they occur in the auxiliary field winding. Upon a failure of the vacuum tubes circuit 25 a quick change is made from the normal control circuit to the auxiliary control circuit which includes a preadjusted rheostat.

While for purposes of illustration the invention will be described with reference to the 30 above-mentioned combination of a vacuum tube speed regulator and a motor-generator associated therewith, it will be evident that the nature of the regulating mechanism and the character of the regulation desired are not involved, nor 35 is the nature of the regulated appartaus of consequence provided it is a dynamo-electric machine whose desired characteristic is subject to regulation by means of a current through an auxiliary eld. 40

The invention may be more fully understood from the following description, together with the accompanying drawing, in the Figures 1 and 2 of which the invention is illustrated. Fig. 1 is a circuit diagram embodying one form of the 45 invention. Fig. 2 is a circuit diagram showing the invention in modied form. Similar reference characters have been utilized to denote like parts in both of the figures.

In Fig. 1 is shown a motor I which drives the 5o generator 2. This motor would be vprovided with the usual field winding. An auxiliary eld winding 20 for controlling the speed of the motor is shown included in a circuit I9 which is completed over the brush l'l and the resistance 55 Cri of an adjustable rheostat HIB. The brush of the rheostat i8 is mounted on a common shaft with the ratchet wheels i3 and i6, which may be driven, respectively, counter-clockwise or clockwise by the up and down operation of the ratchet arms I2 and i5. These arms are actuated in this manner by the magnets il and ld in combination with suitable restoring springs. The above mechanism functions to cut resistance in or out-ofl the circuit i9 of the auxiliary eld Winding 20 of the motor i, according to whether magnet I4 ory ii is actuated. The output of the generator 2 is connected to a tuned circuit speed regulator'3 shown in simplied form enclosed in dotted lines. This tuned circuit speed regulator is well known in the art and may include a plurality of vacuum tubes, such as tubes 4 and 5. The output of tube 5 is completed as follows: from the plate of tube 5, conductor 29, winding 8 of a galvanometer relay, armature and contact of relay I0, winding of relay I0, conductor 30, through battery 30 to the filament of tube 5. The output current from the tuned circuit speed regulator is, therefore, impressed upon the winding 8 of the galvanometer and thev winding of the relay I 0. 'Ihe galvanometer is so adjusted that when the motor speed is correct, and when the output of the regulator is at the proper level, the armature 1 oi the galvanometer, which may be springbiased, lies between the contacts 8 and 9. Under such conditions the magnets II and I4 will not be actuated. When, as a result of a change in motor speed, the current from the output of the speed regulator increases, the armature 1 establishes contact with contact 8. This will close the following circuit: from battery 3|, winding of relay 21, conductor 53, armature 50 and contact 5I oi' relay III, conductor 54, armature 1, contactf8, winding of magnet Il, ratchet arm I2, contact 32 to ground. This will operate the magnet Il and will rotate the ratchet wheel I3. This will operate the brush I1 to reduce the resist-ance of the rheostat I8 included in the circuit I9 with the auxiliary field winding 20 of the motor I. This will reduce the speed of the motor and of the generator. Conversely, if the current in the output circuit of the tuned speed regulator is reduced, the amature 1 will close the contact 8. This will operate the magnet I4 and cause the ratchet wheel I8 to rotate in a clockwise direction. This, in turn, will operate the brush I1 to increase the resistance provided by the rheostat I8 in the circuit of the auxiliary field windingv 20. This will tend to increase' the speed of the motor and the generator.

If the output from the tuned circuit speed regulator should fail completely for any reason,

`such as the failure of one of the tubes, the relay deenergization of relay III will also operate an alarm 28.

It the output current from the tuned circuit` speed regulator does not completely cease but changes sharply up or down so as to require the repeated operation of either II or I4, the slowoperating relay 21 will operate. 'Ihis will shortcircuit the output circuit of the tube 5 and bring acca-iss about the same condition as would result from a complete failure of the tuned circuit speed regulator in the manner heretofore described.

In Fig. 2 is shown a modification of the arrangements of Fig. l. The motor generator is connected to the tuned circuit speed regulator 3 as previously described. To control the current iowing through the auxiliary field winding 2li of the motor I, two independent circuits are provided. The rst circuit is as follows: from the plate of the tube 5, over conductor 33, armature 59 and contact 58 of relay I0, winding of relay I0, winding 2I of a galvanometer relay, through the auxiliary field winding 20 oi' the motor, to the battery 25 and ground. The battery 25 furnishes operating current for the plate circuit of tube 5. The second circuit is completed as follows: from the resistance of the adjustable rheostat I8, brush I1, conductor 34, armature 58 and contact 51 of relay I0, winding 22 of the galvanometer relay, through the resistance 23, to battery 25 and ground. The armature I1 of the adjustable rheostat is rotated mechanically by the driving ratchet wheels I3 and I8 in the manner heretofore described. The resistance 23 simulates in electrical characteristics the auxiliary field winding 20. As heretofore pointed out in the two independent circuits previously traced are included, respectively, the windings 2| and 22 of a diiierentally wound spring-controlled galvanometer relay. The currents through resistance 23 and auxiliary field winding 29 pass through the differentially arranged windings 22 and 2I in such a manner that when thc operation of the speed regulator is normal the currents through these windings are equal and opposite in eii'ect and the armature 1 will standbetween the contacts 8 and 8. Any change in the current through the auxiliary field winding 20 due to the operation of the speed regulator will cause the armature 1 to make contact either with contact 8 or contact 8, which in the manner heretofore described, will operate the ratchet wheels I3 and I8 and cause the rheostat I8 to operate to change the current through the resistance 23 until it is again essentially equal to the current in the auxiliary held winding 20 and opposite in eiiect thereto due to the differential arrangement of said windings. When this occurs, the amature 1 will come to-rest again between the two contacts 8 and 8. In this manner an auxiliary circuit is provided which always has going through it a current of the same value as the current which iiows through the auxiliary iield winding 2l and is required at that moment to maintain the generator at its correct speed.

In the event of failure oi' current from the tuned circuit speed regulator, the relay I0 will become deenergized. The armature 58 and cone0 tact 55 of relay I0 immediately transfer the circuit including the auxiliary field winding 20 to the conductor 34 and the adjustable rheostat I8. At the same time the middle armature disconnects winding 28 from regulator 3. The 55 armature 88 of relay I8 opens the circuit from the battery 3|, over the armature 1 to the magnets Il and I4. This will stop any operation of the ratchet wheels I3 and I8 and will bring the arm of the rheostat to a standstill. Simultaneously, the alarm 28 will be operated over armature 88 and contact 82 of relay I0. The motor generator then continues to run at the speed determined by the last setting of the adjustable rheostat I8. It the current from the 78 tuned circuit speed regulator does not completely cease but changes sharply up or down so as to cause either magnet Il or magnet I4 to operate repeatedly in quick succession, the slow-operating relay 21 will operate due to the condenser short-circuiting it and short circuit the winding of relay l0 and cause it to release. This will initiate the same train of operation as ensues upon a complete failure of the tube of the tuned circuit speed regulator. To restore operation when 3 has been xed, armatures of I0 may be restored by hand or by a device like 28 in Fig. 1.

While the invention has been disclosed as embodied in certain specific forms which are deemed desirable, it is to be understood that it is capable of embodiment in other and widely varied forms Without departing from the spirit of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A motor generator control system comprising a motor and generator operated thereby, a circuit including a variable resistance device and an auxiliary eld winding of said motor, a vacuum tube regulator circuit connected to the output ,of said generator, galvanometer mechanism included in the output of said vacuum tube regulator circuit, switching mechanism controlled by said galvanometer mechanism for changing the setting of said variable resistance, and means operative upon a failure of the output of said vacuum tube regulator circuit for maintaining the setting of said variable resistance in its last operated position.

2. A motor generator control system comprising a motor and generator operated thereby, a circuit including a variable resistance device and an auxiliary eld winding of said motor, a vacuum tube regulator circuit connected to the output of said generator, galvanometer mechanism included in the output of said vacuum tube regulator circuit, switching mechanism for changing the setting of said variable resistance, an operating circuit for said switching mechanism controlled by said galvanometer, and means responsive to a failure of the output of said vacuum tube regulator for opening said operating circuit.

3. A motor generator control system comprising a motor and generator operated thereby, a circuit including a variable resistance device and an auxiliary eld winding of said motor, a vacuum tube regulator circuit connected to the output of said generator, galvanometer mechanism included in the output circuit of said vacuum tube regulator, a relay, means for completing the output circuit of said vacuum tube regulator over a contact and through the winding of said relay, switching means for changing the setting of said variable resistance, and an operating circuit for said switching means controlled by said galvanometer and completed over one of the contacts of said relay.

4. A motor generator control system comprising a motor and generator operated thereby, a circuit including a variable resistance device and an auxiliary field winding of said motor, a vacuum tube regulator circuit connected to the output of said generator, galvanometer mechanism included in the output circuit of said vacuum tube regulator, a relay, means for completing the output circuit of said vacuum tube regulator over a contact and through the winding of said relay, switching means for changing the setting of said variable resistance, an operating circuit for said switching means controlled by said galvanometer and completed over one of the contacts of said relay, and means responsive to large variations in current in the output circuit of said vacuum tube regulator for disabling said galavanometer and said operating circuit for said switching means. i

ANDREW L. MATTE. 

